Recyle - Reduce - Reuse

Once you become aware of the need to save our
planet's resources, you'll find it's not as difficult as you might think to make
an impact. With just a little bit of effort, you can walk down the road of
saving the planet in your home office (or even at work elsewhere). Do what you
can. Every little bit helps. Here are a few tips.

Stock up your office with supplies that contain recycled materials. Did you know that making paper from recycled materials requires 60% less energy than if made from virgin tree stock? Think about what you buy:
copy paper, envelopes, notepads, folders, file folders, note pads - all of these products are available in 100% recycled content and can be found at every major office supply store. You can get recycled storage containers too.

Purchase furnishings that are crafted from FSC-certified wood. Then you can be sure the wood was grown
in a sustainable manner and harvested with documentation to support their claims of being earth friendly. Do this for your shelving units as well.

Look for energy-efficient computers, printers, copiers and fax machines. Green machines come with an Energy Star rating. This
is a label developed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy. It identifies those
products that exceed the established energy-efficient standards they have set. Since equipment like this continues to draw energy even when shut off, so long as it is plugged in, pull out the plugs when not in use or at the very least, put them in
standby mode at night.

Lastly, use online specification. Catalogs put out by manufacturers become obsolete before they are sent out, making the waste horrendous. If you are in the trade, register for the Trade Only Design Library (www.todl.com) which offers thousands
of products, along with environmentally friendly features. This helps to eliminate paper usage entirely.

Free NewsletterGet free decorating tips for your home or the homes of your clients. Send a blank email to our List Manager and you'll be added
automatically,
but you must CONFIRM your subscription request. A request for confirmation will be sent to the email address you provide. We are a spam-free site and will never sell,
trade or give away your email address to anyone for any purpose. To sign up:
Decorating Newsletter - Must Confirm